Encourage sugarcane farmers to adopt pest and disease resistant varieties, IPM strategies, says CACP
The CACP has urged farmers to adopt pest-resistant sugarcane varieties and integrated pest management (IPM) to combat rising pest threats like red rot and top borer. It called for awareness campaigns and better access to quality seed cane. The commission stressed coordinated efforts by ICAR, SAUs, state governments, and sugar mills for sustainable, profitable cultivation.
Crop advisory body, the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), has recommended that farmers should be encouraged to adopt pest and disease resistant sugarcane varieties along with integrated pest management (IPM) strategies to overcome the challenges of pests and disease infestations.
Sugarcane cultivation has been facing increasing thereat from pest and disease infestations in the recent years and the previous cropping season witnessed the flare up of red rot and top borer attacks on popular variety like Co 0238, hurting yields.
In its non-price recommendation for the price policy for sugarcane for the 2025-26 season, the CACP recommended that awareness campaigns should be conducted to educate farmers about improved varieties and IPM techniques, ensuring wider adoption and sustainable sugarcane farming practices. It also observed that a significant gap exists between the demand and availability of quality seed cane, which hampers productivity, sugar recovery and profitability. To address this issue, coordinated efforts by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), State Governments and sugar mills are essential.
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Source : The Hindu Businessline
